Wednesday, August 6, 2014

I got the blues

I've been working on My Blue Heaven and I'm getting really sick of seeing blue!

Bonnie K Hunter

When the blocks come together they look great, but it's the chain piecing blue pieces or blue and neutral pieces that can drive me crazy! I felt the same way when I was working on the Talkin' Turkey quilt which is reds and neutrals.

When I do a scrappy quilt, I feel compelled to do all the cutting and to assemble all the component parts before I assemble the blocks because I want the blocks to be a scrappy as possible.  So that means, I have to put the pedal to the medal, grit my teeth, and crank out the flying geese units and half square triangles one after another, until I have enough variety that I can begin making blocks.


It doesn't look like I have much to assemble in this picture, but believe me, it's enough!  This quilt calls for a total of 90 8" blocks. The star block has 24 pieces in it and the puss blocks each have 12 pieces and that adds up to 1620 pieces in the quilt!  I've assembled half of the blocks so far so that makes 810 pieces left to assemble. But I'll be totally honest here--I've  already made all the hourglass blocks and about half of the half square triangle pieces, and that's why I've got the Blues!  So it's mostly assembling rather than a lot more chain piecing.  


Here are a few of the blocks I've already assembled. I like the way they look and I think I have enough variety in the blues to keep it interesting.  I put off assembling the quilt top until all the blocks are completed in order to (try to) make it as scrappy as I can.  I know I'm going to love this quilt when it's finished but the process can be trying!

Last night was guild night and I didn't realize until I got there that my term as secretary was ending. I saw on the agenda that another member had been nominated for secretary and I was quite dismayed that no one had asked me if I wanted to serve another year. Imagine the thoughts that were going through my mind as the members voted on the new officers!  What had I done to offend them?  Was I doing such a crappy job as secretary that they didn't want me anymore?  Should I even remain a member of the guild if they thought that way about me?  On and On! 

I was quite distressed and then I thought, maybe I should check the by-laws ( a copy of which I happened to have with me) and I remembered that the secretary's position has a 2 year term limit.  So, I wasn't ousted but simply retired. Much better!  Someone asked me what else I would volunteer for now that I wasn't secretary and I'll have to think about that for a bit.  I'm sure something will come to mind, but I don't think I'll want to be chair of anything for awhile.  I'm heading up the quilt tour as I did last year but I think I'll turn that over to someone else next year, if they do it again.  I like being involved in guild activities but I'll give it a rest for a bit.

So, today I need to empty out the big chest freezer in order to make room for veggies from the garden which are coming in. And then I'll return to my Blues in the afternoon.  :)

1 comment:

  1. Sometimes we worry about the silliest things. How could anyone NOT love you!

    I'm loving your quilt but I totally hear you about getting sick of the same thing over and over....I suffer from the same malady when Im making a quilt that is low on colour choices.

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